Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Pietro Novelli died in 1647; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1717.
In context
Moses — Pietro Novelli
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 44 at death.
Shaded: the lifetime of Pietro Novelli (1603–1647) every dated painting, decade by decade
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Measured from the image
Main colour
Rosy Brown #d1b795
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 99.7% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 8 works by this artist, of which 7 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 6 of them, with 4.5% of that attention. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Born in Monreale, Italy
Born: Monreale, Italy in 1603.
Died: Palermo, Sicily in 1647.
Pietro Novelli, also known as il Monrealese, began his artistic journey under the tutelage of his father, Pietro Antonio Novelli I, a painter and mosaicist.
Following his father’s death from the bubonic plague in 1625, Novelli continued to develop his skills as an apprentice alongside Gerardo Asturino.
In 1618, he moved to Palermo and further honed his craft under the guidance of Vito Carrera (1555–1623).
Early Works: Novelli’s earliest documented work dates back to 1626 – St. Anthony Abbot, commissioned for the church of Sant'Antonio Abate in Palermo.
Key Influences: His style was profoundly shaped by several artistic forces.
Anthony van Dyck: Van Dyck’s visit to Sicily in 1624 and his altarpiece, the Madonna of the Rosary, significantly impacted local artists, including Novelli.
Caravaggisti/Tenebrists: The dramatic use of light and shadow (tenebrism) prevalent in Neapolitan painting, particularly that of Ribera, also influenced his work.
Novelli’s style blended these influences to create a uniquely Sicilian Baroque aesthetic.
Novelli received numerous commissions from both religious institutions and the Sicilian nobility.
Religious Paintings: He created works for many churches in Piana degli Albanesi, including Santa Zita in Monreale.
Refectory Painting: A notable commission was the Marriage of Cana, painted for the refectory of the Benedictines in Monreale.
He also produced portraits and other decorative paintings for villas belonging to prominent Sicilian families.
Dynamic Compositions: Novelli’s paintings are characterized by their energetic compositions and dramatic flair.
Chiaroscuro: He masterfully employed the technique of chiaroscuro – the strong contrast between light and dark – to create a sense of drama and realism.
Baroque Sensibility: His work embodies the Baroque aesthetic, emphasizing emotion, movement, and grandeur.
Pietro Novelli was a leading figure in Sicilian Baroque painting, earning him the nickname “the Raphael of Sicily.”
Pupils: He trained several notable artists, including Francesco Maggiotto, Francesco Giselli, Michele Blasco, and Vincenzo Marchese.
His work helped to establish a distinct Sicilian Baroque style that flourished in the 17th century.
Though his life was cut short by injuries sustained during a revolution in Palermo in 1647, Novelli left behind a significant body of work that continues to be admired for its artistic merit and historical importance.
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Look closely
Moses — Pietro Novelli
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Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
The colors in "Moses" by Pietro Novelli have a balanced intensity.
The Stats page of "Moses" by Pietro Novelli presents public visit statistics: monthly visits of this artwork, a comparison with the artist's most viewed works, and where its visitors come from.
The contrast level of "Moses" by Pietro Novelli is bold.